Monday 30 June 2014

June 29th A Wanton Chicken For The Sunday Roast

Sunday, Sunday  - which means it is Sunday Roast time. The selected chicken must have been a wanton chicken when it was running around this earth. Not to be confused with Wonton Chicken!

Just out of interest however do you have to truss a chicken's legs for roasting? I never bother and the end result is the same - well as far as I am aware. I wonder whether I should truss however.

To Truss Or Not To Truss? That is the question


ps me thinks it is time to fire up the oven for a clean. The joys of modern photography - oops!

Sunday 29 June 2014

June 28th The Uprising Of The Tulips

Roll on Spring honey. Just a small segment of tulips planted.The freesias are up and the tulips are doing their thing. Spring is around the corner, just over there. OK maybe the next corner or the one after that - but I am getting glimpses of it now




Saturday 28 June 2014

June 27th shhhhhh I Am Zee Undercover Dog

If I stay very, very still, you won't even know I am here. Great disguise eh?


ps no humans were involved in the subject matter posing for this photo. We had dinner guests  When they were leaving we came out to the lounge and this is what we found

Friday 27 June 2014

Thursday 26 June 2014

June 25th Grey Days

Grey days don't provide particularly good photo opportunities. And we had one today. And it didn't change. And it was wet. And it was grey. And it got to 5:00pm. And I realised I hadn't taken a photo. And this is what you end up getting. Even the Ponga tree looks forlorn as it is blown about by a blustery wind


Wednesday 25 June 2014

June 24th Time For The Napalm

Haven't had one of these in the house for a while, but this was spotted on the outside of our garage. Time for the Napalm Bombs me thinks - aka Cockroach Bombs. The best deterrent against creepy crawlies that invade my personal space


Tuesday 24 June 2014

June 23rd Holiday Snaps

Starting to sort through the holiday snaps. I can remember the days when you got home from holiday, and took a film in to be developed. Sometimes there were six or seven rolls depending on the time away and photos taken. You then waited a few days in anticipation, before developed films could be collected. That was until they really advanced technology and you only had an hour to wait. I wonder what happened to all those large developing machines? Where did they get retired to? Then you arrived home and from all of those rolls, discarding so many photos because heads were chopped off etc etc etc.

Now... take a card thing out of the camera and insert it into a bigger thing that is inserted into the computer. Photos are automatically downloaded and then it is just a matter of sorting and deciding what to keep,

I reminded myself of what used to happen as I mentally complained about the tediousness of what I was doing - but it killed a few hours




Monday 23 June 2014

June 22nd Supermarket Karma

Today Supermarket Karma bit me well and truly on the bum!  Back at the end of March I posted on FB how I unwittingly 'stole' someone's supermarket trolley. Here is a copy of what happened...




You should not go supermarket shopping with me..... I had my trolley and was adding to it - as you do. Did the meat and carried on, and wondered why I hadn't noticed the shopping list, neatly written on a Post It Pad, stuck to the handle. Pulled it off, screwed it up and stuck it on a shelf. Got to the meat, and put it in the trolley. I then looked down and thought some *&@# tried to hijack my trolley, as there was celery (never on my shopping list) in there. I cursed to myself and put my several items of meat in. Walked further down the aisle, and then looked closer at the other groceries, and absolutely nothing was mine.
Guess who the real supermarket trolley hijacker was? I discreetly took my meat and walked back quite a way to find my trolley with all my items safely inside it, looking very sad and forlorn. Apologies to whomever for not only pinching your trolley of groceries but also for throwing your shopping list away!!


Fast forward to just short of 3 months down the line. Same supermarket, and once again me shopping on my own.  Today I decided to take the brave step of changing my Muesli (underpants are a given every day of course), but a Muesli change is a big decision. Toasted? Natural? Bits of Fruit? No Bits of Fruit? You get the drift. The Cereal aisle (in the order that I shop) is just about at the end of the shopping experience for me, and not far from the checkouts. I was therefore practically at the end of my shop. So after a good 10 minutes of perusing, reading labels and trying to make an informed and unintelligent decision, I had my purchase in my hand. And went to put it in the trolley, and my trolley was... gulp... gone!  The whole aisle was empty, there wasn't even another shopper in the aisle. Just me on my lonesome, with no trolley and a packet of cereal in my hand!!  I stood like a stunned mullet at first and then thought "Is this Karma or what?" Time to go for a stroll and my trolley was absolutely no where in sight. Other shoppers must have wondered what the heck was going on as I walked up and looked in their trolleys.

In the end it was time to ring George, to tell him what had happened and that he could double my time away from home as I had to start right back at the beginning. And MY shopping list... well Smartphone and App loving me has her shopping list on the phone, and as items are put in the trolley, they are deleted off my list.  So I decided to head back to the beginning and start over and try and visualise what was in my trolley.  I was going to take the shortcut to get back to the entrance, but decided to take my chances and go the long way and look for the trolley pilferer.  

Finally, aisles and aisles and miles and miles away. Guess what I chanced upon! With a strange pack of Muesli propped on top. I decided to do the right thing and take the Muesli that wasn't mine, and put it where it rightfully belonged. Hopefully I have now balanced out the equities of supermarket karma with the Gods of Food Consumerism!!!!!

 


Sunday 22 June 2014

June 21st A Blog About Mesh

This is a deviance from my usual blog subject, which is a random photo(s) from that day.  Today I was most upset to read this article about a woman that had died after Mesh removal surgery
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11279063

This poor woman had mesh inserted for a hernia in September 2013. Yes, just over 6 months ago. She had an immediate reaction to the mesh and had to have surgery to have the mesh removed at the beginning of June 2014. She died after having the surgery to remove the mesh.

My question is why is the Government and Medical profession still allowing Mesh to be used. They are using the same type of Mesh for both Hernia and Vaginal operations

I had mesh inserted for a vaginal prolapse in April 2005.  Late in 2012 they discovered I had internal cysts and this was attributed to the mesh that was used in the surgery - as well as a tape that was used at the same time.  In 2013 I underwent two lots of surgeries to remove mesh, tape, and cysts that had developed entirely due to my body having infected artificial products within.

I am not after sympathy here as I am a survivor.  I managed to survive a total of 8 years with faulty mesh, and I managed to survive the subsequent necessary surgeries to remove it. I inquired after surgery, what were my options now that all this mesh had been removed, and was told that the mesh they use now is ''SAFE''. If I have subsequent problems I can be confident that the mesh they use now does not cause the same type of problems.  Try telling that to this poor ladies family. She was a Mother and a Grandmother and her life has appeared to have been unnecessarily cut short.

Please I ask each and every one of you to inform your families about this Mesh.  It is not solely a female problem as it is used for hernia repairs - which is both a Male and Female problem. 

Our Government is not listening Doctors are not listening. And people are in pain and suffering, and now dying. What does it take?

June 21st Happy 2nd Birthday Ella




Saturday 21 June 2014

June 20th Normality is Slowly Returning

When Minnie decides she would like to be outside on her 'Throne' - you know life is returning to normal. She is still drugged up and they now think her 'illness' could be spinal, so we have to stop her from jumping up and down and climbing steps. Guess who had to lift her on the throne - I don't think Royalty have it this good   And if you are wondering - the pot she is in is full of wild grass growing, and should it ever die, there is a new one good to go next to it. This is her favourite outdoor spot, to keep an eye on the comings and goings in the neighbourhood and her chill out place when we are in the garden.




We have had to put some creative thinking to use here. Well I did the thinking and George did the do-ing.  We don't want her jumping on and off sofas when we are away from the home, so have the grateful use of a child's playpen.  But the bars were a tad wide and we were worried about a Houdini escape - so George made up some temporary makeshift barriers





Thursday 19 June 2014

June 18th A One Month Labour

It may have taken one month, but it has been worth it. I have been waiting ever so patiently for our Aloe to flower. Finally my patience has paid off



Wednesday 18 June 2014

June 17th A Pie, A Pie. It Isn't In The Sky

Yesterday I had my panties in a bunch
wondering what to create for dinner and lunch
Then I gave a wholesome sigh
I would use left overs for a pie

I created a new flavour
Something that both of us could savour
Let me present to you my new pie
The flavour is to live for - made by me, so no
need to wonder why!

I hereby present my Chicken and Cauliflower Cheese Pie




Tuesday 17 June 2014

June 16th The Quest For The Ultimate Peeler

It has been many years, but finally I may have found the ultimate vegetable peeler - and I don't mean the two legged one.  The best vegetable peeler I had was a cheapie but damn it was good. However that dropped through the gaps of life and got into some heat  - in other words it fell through a gap in my previous, very old dishwasher and tumbled on to the element (yes, the old dishwasher had an exposed element - but that is long gone now).

Back to my peeler... my previous passable one had a burnt handle and I have bought numerous new ones to try and replace it, and they just didn't cut the mustard or peel the potatoes well.  On holiday in Perth we had to frequent a shopping mall (Peppa Pig Weebles anyone?) and I spotted in a kitchen store a Ceramic Peeler. Quite expensive at $20 + but I decided to take a gamble.  And the gamble paid off. Here is my new, super duper ceramic vegetable peeler, and may she live with us for many days. Plus I have a different dishwasher so she won't burn her bum like her predecessor.




Monday 16 June 2014

June 15th Precious, Our Precious....





June 13th - 14th Goodbye Perth - Hello NZ

Time to say Good Bye to Perth and hello to NZ.  We ended our stay with Raewyn cooking us the most beautiful Seafood lunch ever. Yabbies, Garlic Prawns and Seafood Chowder were on the menu. One Yabbie managed to make an escape and survived a tumultous death


Guess what we spied at Perth Airport? I am glad we do not have the following fast food Franchise in NZ. George would live there!  He had one final indulgence before leaving

 
We flew in to a crisp, crisp - and I mean very crisp - Winter morning. Welcome back to NZ and driving down to the Waikato this is what we saw to greet us

That's Fog in dem dar hills!


Welcome Home to Foggy Waikato

Sunday 15 June 2014

June 12th Today We Sailed Over The Seas

Well we did cross the ocean - by ferry and to Rottnest Island. A government owned island. Only 20kms (can't remember the exact measurement but you get the drift - pardon the pun) from Fremantle. A totally different world is out here. Small sandy bays, ideal snorkelling spots, Humpback Whales at migration time, and just the odd Great White Shark sailing by. The Quokka is the local furry inhabitant, a marsupial native to Western Australia and predominantly found on Rottnest Island.




There were a few of these hanging out at the local shops. Then it was time to explore the island. No private vehicles are allowed, so exploring this approx. 80sq km island is by bike only. Fortunately for the small time span we had, there was a local bus tour








There were approx 20 graves in the local cemetery from the original European settlers


Bikes aren''t stored on the island, instead they are kept on the ferry

Back to Fremantle Harbour and I am guessing this was a school fishing class?
This was our last day, so for our last night in Perth we indulged in a City Lights Dinner Cruise on the Swan River. Because it is winter in Perth, tourist numbers have dwindled so there were only a total of 12 people indulging in the cruise. Yay, yay and yay!!



One of the day's highlights. Buying a coffee before we left Fremantle Harbour.  The man at the counter asked our names and enquired as to George's accent. Then in front of a packed harbour building (it was situated inside the ferry terminal) he broke into a loud song. Instead of Come On Eileen, it was Come On Irene - I got the whole rendition, extremely loud and complete with banging forks and spoons. What an experience to remember. Great voice and great coffee!!

June 11th Raewyn's Secret Garden






Saturday 14 June 2014

June 10th. A Gold Mint & Something Fishy

We spent an informative morning at The Perth Gold Mint - yes, we touched and saw lovely big - and I mean big - nuggets of Gold.  No photography allowed (for obvious reasons). George decided to sneak a small piece out for a photo op





After an educational morning reflecting on Perth's gold history, it was time to head to the coast to Hillary's Beach and the WA Aquarium







Wednesday 11 June 2014

June 9th. Some Orstraliana






Time to head to a wildlife park today to indulge in some Orstraliana Flora and Fauna




This is Sammi. I have him on video saying "Scratch Me Scratch Me". I spent at least 5 minutes giving Sammi a neck scratch. I knew these nails were good for something







Well after that lot it was time to indulge in some retail therapy for my beautiful Grandies - Peppa Pig Weebles any one?  Arriving home look what Raewyn found in her wine cellar for our dinner accompaniment (sp???)